Obituary: Ron Goodman

Ronald Harry Goodman was born in Birmingham, UK, on 5 February 1943 and passed away in Melbourne on 3 September 2025.

After graduating with an HNC (Metallurgy) from Wolverhampton College of Technology in 1966, Ron moved to Australia to take up a role with Consolidated Goldfields of Australia (CGA) on the West Coast of Tasmania. He worked at Mt Lyell Copper Mine until 1974 when he moved internally to the Renison Bell Tin Mine, where he remained until 1980. His love of tin started here, cemented with an internal secondment to Wheal Jane Mine in Cornwall. Ron held a variety of positions within CGA, from Research Metallurgist to his final operating role of Mill Superintendent.

In 1980 Ron took up a position as Managing Director of Vickers Fine Minerals Engineering Division, a division of Vickers Australia Ltd, tasked with the design and manufacture of specialised mineral processing equipment.

From 1986 Ron had been operating as an independent metallurgical consultant based out of Melbourne. As one can imagine over the next 39 years Ron consulted and assisted many companies around the world over a wide range of commodities. His passion though was tin and there will be few tin miners and developers who have not sought out Ron’s advice and knowledge. He was particularly keen on developing and integrating new mineral processing technologies into the industry.

His global network of contacts and former colleagues was extensive, he was well read, a willing sharer of information and advice, and his passing will have saddened many people around the world. Ron was good company socially and was infamous for his repartee and ripostes. He could always be relied upon to deliver a witty comment or short verse.

Ron was an active member of the AusIMM for 56 years, attending Branch and Melbourne Mining Club events, and contributed technical papers of metallurgical processing and tin.

Ron met his wife, Misa, while he was on the West Coast. He is survived by his daughters, Gemma and Hana.

Vale Ron; farewell to an industry stalwart and friend.